Blue Tit

[strontian]

Really bored today because of the rain so i decided to see what i could get through the kitchen window. After five minutes this little fellow decided to show.

A bit noisy but C&C welcome....JIM

[Barr1e]

Re: Blue Tit

Hi Jim -

My first true critique - so feeling nervous - but here goes.

A lovely pic and the colours seem pretty much spot on. I wonder if the bird (most likely) has moved its tail a little as it doesn't seem quite as sharp as the body.

I would have been pleased to have taken it.

Regards. Barr1e

[Stephen]

Re: Blue Tit

I agree with Barrie, and notice that you took the shot at f8 and 1/30 sec. I would suggest that this is too slow, and that maybe 1/250 sec would have been better and meant a sharper image. Without changing the ISO you could have maybe got a 1/60th or depending on your lens 1/125. Probably with an f2.8 lens you could have achieved 1/250th. Even using a decent flashgun would have helped freeze any movement.

However apart from the slight movement in the bird this is a lovely shot and I'd have been pleased with the composition myself.

[strontian]

Re: Blue Tit

Thanks Barrie and Stephen for your advice i am still getting used to the lens (its a monster) this was hand held with the IS on couldn't use the flash because of the window however would you suggest tv or av for such a shot, It was taken in jpeg but i am determined from now on to shoot only in raw format to give me more flexibility. Again many thanks for your replies....JIM

[Stephen]

Re: Blue Tit

Thanks Barrie and Stephen for your advice i am still getting used to the lens (its a monster) this was hand held with the IS on couldn't use the flash because of the window however would you suggest tv or av for such a shot, It was taken in jpeg but i am determined from now on to shoot only in raw format to give me more flexibility. Again many thanks for your replies....JIM

I think that in a shot such as this depth of field and therefore aperture is less important than having a decent shutter speed, so I'd always go for TV.

[strontian]

Re: Blue Tit

Thanks Stephen for your advice as birds are my favourite subject i need to practice more with different settings for various light situations, a steep learning curve but i will get there eventually....JIM

[ash]

Re: Blue Tit

A good picture and some good advice, as already said depth of field not required for this type of shot but speed is, so your lens should be as wide open as it goes ( smallest f number) and adjust shutterspeed acordingly, if you cant get it fast enough then increase iso in stages, a grainy sharp shot is better than a blurred one!

If you do all this in manual mode it will teach you much more quickly, exactly what does what and what effect it has on the final result.

Vr or Is does help on these shots but remember its for counteracting lens movement not freezing your subject!
what lens is it by the way?
cheers
Ash.

[Stephen]

Re: Blue Tit

A good picture and some good advice, as already said depth of field not required for this type of shot but speed is, so your lens should be as wide open as it goes ( smallest f number) and adjust shutterspeed acordingly, if you cant get it fast enough then increase iso in stages, a grainy sharp shot is better than a blurred one!

If you do all this in manual mode it will teach you much more quickly, exactly what does what and what effect it has on the final result.

Vr or Is does help on these shots but remember its for counteracting lens movement not freezing your subject!
what lens is it by the way?
cheers
Ash.

Very important advice

[strontian]

Re: Blue Tit

Thanks guys great advice, lens a 100-400 i am out with it tomorrow for the finish of the Tour of Britian cycle race....JIM

[Mowgli]

Re: Blue Tit

I agree with Barrie, and notice that you took the shot at f8 and 1/30 sec. I would suggest that this is too slow, and that maybe 1/250 sec would have been better and meant a sharper image.

I would definetly agree with Stephen, I have tried taking pictures of these sort of birds in my back garden and they are very twitchy birds, always on the move. Where you might get away with a slower speed on say a sparrow or something like that these are harder to take, but because of their colours they are a much more pleasing subject.

Mowgli